Ohh Grace
I now see where you're coming from, but I think there's a bit of a stretch happening here when we try to apply
The Selfish Gene Theory to this discussion. Let’s remember what the theory is really about: survival of genes, not survival of social trends. Dawkins didn’t write his book to explain why we have cultural movements, Grace... he wrote it to explain how genes keep themselves
alive and
kicking. The theory is all about ensuring that genes survive and thrive through reproduction and not about making sure 20% of the population decides not to reproduce at all
.
You mentioned that maybe some people are genetically wired to take care of others in the "herd" without competing to pass on their own genes, which I can follow to an extent. But let's be honest here Grace, if nearly 1 in 5 people stop reproducing altogether, that’s not helping the herd survive. In fact, that’s taking a pretty big chunk of the population out of the gene pool entirely. If genes are really pulling the strings, they wouldn’t be saying, "Hey, let’s get a whole bunch of us to stop reproducing so we can watch over the rest." Right?? That doesn’t add up. The theory’s whole premise is about maximizing the chance that those genes get passed on, and that means more reproduction & not less.
Now, about the apes. Yes, some apes do quirky things when they’re isolated, stressed, or just don’t have access to females. But the thing is, they are Apes Grace, Animals not sitting around pondering their sexual identity or picking a new gender. They’re reacting to their environment, and when they finally get access to females again, you don’t see them continuing to experiment with the same sex. It’s situational, not a natural preference, and more importantly, it's not a model we can base human sexuality on. We’re a little more complex than that, and while we can learn from animal behavior, it’s not a perfect mirror for human society.
As for the historical references like the Romans and their habits, I’ll give you that some cultures were more permissive about same sex behavior. But again, that's cultural, not
genetic. The fact that Romans indulged in certain behaviors doesn’t prove that it’s all innate. It just shows that societal norms can have a big impact on how people behave. Just because Romans didn’t care much about who was sleeping with whom doesn’t mean that 10% of their population was biologically programmed to prefer same sex relationships. The difference in numbers across various cultures actually supports my point Grace...it’s largely about how society frames these behaviors.
So, while I agree that some of our behavior is influenced by genetics, the massive uptick in LGBTQ identification today seems more driven by external factors such as social media, social trends, and progressive government policies rather than by a sudden shift in our genes. If
The Selfish Gene Theory were really running the show, the last thing it would want is 20% of the population taking itself out of the reproductive game. That’s just not how genetic survival works. So, sure Grace there’s some fluidity in humans and apes, but to the extent we’re seeing today? SMH That’s a different story, and it’s not one written by our DNA.